Vatican delegate tells UN: spur development by helping families, not pushing abortion
October 10, 2014
The Vatican’s permanent representative to the UN, speaking to a session on follow-up to the International Conference on Population and Development, reminded delegates that the UN has urged government “to promote and strengthen the family as a vital element toward producing greater social and economic development.”
Archbishop Bernardito Auza said that special efforts are necessary to care for families victimized by warfare, natural disaster, discrimination, or violence. Governments should make every effort to keep these families intact and reunite those that have been separated, he said.
The archbishop mentioned migration as another important issue in development, lamenting that often “policy makers and large segments of society see migration only in a negative light.” He mentioned the agreement of UN members that access to education and health care were key factors in economic development.
Archbishop Ausa took strong exception to the efforts by UN bodies to “promote ‘reproductive health rights’ detrimental to the unborn human life and the integral needs of women themselves.” He reminded the UN delegates that the international body has never endorsed a “right to abortion,” and observed that in developing countries, women's most urgent need is for adequate health care.
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